The Legend of Nigel Carlyle
by airmanpearson
Summary: Nigel traveled for four years to escape the hellhole that was Washington DC, hoping to make it big in New Vegas. Instead he inadvertently saved the life of Walker Evans, a courier, and began a wasteland adventure that would forever change him. Teen/mature content throughout.
1. Some Other Beginning's End

**Forward**

This fanfiction features both characters created by me and Bethesda. I take credit for my creations and give loads more to Bethesda for theirs (seriously guys, you're freaking awesome). Also I assume you have a basic premise of Fallout, or have played the games. You should if you haven't. This story was largely born from my love for this game series and my gripes with New Vegas's narrative, especially when it came to the Brotherhood of Steel. I had seen them in all their badassness in Fallout 3 only to find them hiding in a corner and doomed to extinction in New Vegas while Veronica (my favorite videogame character of all time by the way) stood and watched. Thus this story varies greatly from its source material. I thank Bethesda for crafting this wasteland sandbox, and to all those that read, follow, and critique this story, thank you.

* * *

><p><strong>Some Other Beginning's End<strong>

So there I was riding a Brahmin loaded with supplies down a broken road in the desert of Nevada. (Ok, look, I know you want to hear all about my four yearlong trek from DC but I assure you it's as boring as dry paint). Feeling my journey reaching its end I began to lean back and relax. Despite the undulating motion of Mr. Meatsack I was able to look across the way and see the lights of New Vegas contrast with the blue and pink ribbons created by the setting sun.

_Tomorrow…_

Looking ahead I followed the road as it made a right turn and in between two small hills. From there it climbed up to a small town called Goodsprings. This I knew because I had long since memorized my map like the back of my hand. But the turnoff was a long ways ahead, and I was ready to call it a day.

_Time for a shortcut._

Grabbing the reigns I yanked and gave a small kick. Meatsack responded with a grunt. Slowly our trajectory took us off the dilapidated road and onto sand. Although we were heading straight for the town there was a steep but traversable hill ahead. As we began our ascent Meatsack let out a low growl in protest. "Oh come off it!" I hissed. Disgruntled he charged up the hill like a freight train and I about tumbled of his back. Then right as he a crested the hill he locked his legs and skidded to a halt. My irritation became audible. "Why you!-"

Freezing my train of thought and meat was a curious sight. A cowboy bound to a chair was being interrogated by two scraggly biker dudes, and man in a rather tacky checkered suit. I say WAS because now they were returning the favor by freezing themselves, eyes locked on me. For a moment we remained motionless until the tension popped me like a balloon. "Uh, I'll b-be on my w-way now."

"Not so fast!" said the slick-haired suit. His hand turned my way, revealing an engraved silver pistol. I swallowed my panic like a giant toad. "You're in this now buddy, and now there will be two shallow graves instead of one." _Oh no. _

"You sure boss?" asked the one biker.

"Yeah Benny do we really need to kill these guys?" asked the other.

Benny looked like he wanted to smack his forehead with unrelenting force.

"Well NOW we do ya dummy!" Benny exclaimed. The three assailants continued to bicker between each other but their words were lost on me. My focus was on the Cowboy. He was pulling on his sleeve for some reason. A glint of metal caught my eye, and in a flash he cut his bindings and pulled a Derringer form his coat. "Drop it." Benny froze once again, but held his ground. "You first Big Cat." But neither man so much as batted an eyelash. Now another person might have, I don't know, trampled the three wankers, but I had only one thought in my mind.

_RUN!_

And in an instant Meatsack and I were careening down the hill as fast as his legs could manage. Terrified out of my mind I buried my heels in the cow and whipped the lashes. But before we could get too far a shot rang out. As if on cue we stopped and turned back towards the hill. My ears rang in silence. Then I heard the roar of throaty engines, followed by two motorcycles making a beeline for New Vegas. My curiosity turned to worry when I counted three goons on the bikes.

_Oh bollocks._

Meatsack and I once again charged up the hill, and what I saw next made my stomach clench. The Cowboy lay on his back, derringer tossed from his hand and blood spilling profusely from the head. I unsaddled myself from Meatsack's wide girth and stumbled over to the man. He needed help. Now.

_Well quit faffin' around! _

Terror quickly draining the color from my face I dragged him by the arms to the Brahmin, then tried to put him on my shoulder like any other man would do it, but botched it before his legs left the ground. My panic was quickly rising. I grabbed him under the armpits and slung him over Meatsack like a limp noodle. He nearly slipped off and onto his head, but I managed to catch him just in time. "Damn it all!"

Once he was secured I frantically scanned the horizon for salvation. After the second look at it my mind finally made the connection. "Goodsprings!" I pulled at the reigns. "Come on now!" Running as fast I could we made our way to the town, Meatsack keeping pace beside me. A light flickered on in the nearest house.

* * *

><p>The next few days were, well… suspenseful yet awfully boring. Of course the one thing I did right that night was head straight for the town doctor, Doc Mitchell. He set to work right away on the Cowboy, and I had been left to dawdle around the house. I did have my guitar and whatnot to entertain myself, but my concern for the Cowboy left little interest for that sort of thing. Occasionally the Doc would come out of the spare bedroom he'd made up to work on the Cowboy to wash his hands, eat, and occasionally sleep, but most of his time was devoted to his patient. I had tried to strike up a conversation many times over supper, but he was closed like a Vault door. I couldn't blame him. He had a life to save. Entertaining the guests was the least of his problems. But it also seemed like he had a special attachment to the Cowboy, despite not knowing a thing about him.<p>

_Wish I had that gift…_

One day I was pacing through the halls when I stopped at a machine along the wall opposite of the operating room. The Vit-O-Matic tester. I had passed it many times before but never gave it a go. _Might as well… _grabbing ahold on the arcade-style joystick I made my way through a series of questions regarding strength, perception, endurance, charisma, intelligence, agility, and luck. An eternity later the test results were in.

Strength: 5

Perception: 5

Charisma: 5

Intelligence: 7

Agility: 5

Luck: 9

I found the test results to be surprisingly accurate (in my opinion) till I read my luck stat.

"Nine?! You're kidding me! Duff machine!" I gave the damned machine a kick, and I hopped around in pain. A moan came from the operating room. I looked over and the Cowboy was moving. Like a one-legged kangaroo I hopped down the hall. "Doc? Mitchell?" shortly thereafter I found the Doc lying on a couch in the family room. Still holding my injured foot I began relaying my message in a most understandable manner.

"Doc um, the um, man, he, well he, he's-"

At first the Doc looked at me like I was a Brahmin in a Tutu, then realization appeared on his face and he raced past and into the operating room. I of course nearly fell flat on my face as he went past but I managed to save myself and stumble to the doorway. There I watched as Doc pulled up a chair next to the Cowboy. "That's it now, time to wake up." Eyes slowly fluttered open. Then the memories of capture threw him upright, eyes darting around the room. "Whoa, hey now! Take it easy." Eased the Doc, reaching out to disarm the alarmed Cowboy. Energy quickly evaporating, he slowly laid back till his head rested on the pillow. "Sorry to startle you like that." Chuckled the Doc. "You're lucky to be alive there mister."

The Cowboy curled inward and let out a weak cough. "That so?"

"Yeah you took a bullet to the head. Luckily it was a glancing blow and your friend brought you into my care." The Cowboy looked confused.

"Who?"

"Oh uh, this fella over here." Doc turned his chair to gesture at me. Feeling put on the spot I stepped into the room and put a hand on my neck. "Uh yeah, name's Nigel." The Cowboy got a look at me then rolled his head towards the ceiling. The Doc leaned back in his chair. "What's your name?"

"Walker Evans."

"Glad you had the chance to tell me yourself. Well I cleaned the wound as best I could but there will be some scarring. Hopefully you didn't suffer the kind of damage I can't fix." The Doc said with a smile. "Speaking of which, how do you feel about some tests?" Walker sat up slowly.

"Born ready."

"Good." The Doc seemed even more pleased as stood up and leveled a hand at the Vit-o-Matic.

"Step right up to the one and only Vigor Tester!" said the Doc in a carnie voice. Walker stood up and began walking in a weak but determined manner. The Doc and I took as step back to watch him take a crack at it. Patiently we watched from either side of him. As he made his way through the test I finally got a decent look at the man. He was a good six feet tall, barrel chested, and had weathered sunburnt skin. He was near my age of thirty, and his face was handsome and stoic, accented by a thick mustache and chinstrap. His neck long hair was an oily black, and pushed behind his ears.

_Makes me look rather naff… _I sighed quietly.

"And there you have it." Said the Doc. I looked towards the screen.

Strength: 7

Perception: 7

Charisma: 7

Intelligence: 6

Agility: 6

Luck: 5

Curses filled my head. "Not bad stranger." Beamed the Doc. "Now why don't we-"

"Wait." Interrupted Walker. The Doc and I looked up at him with curiosity. His seemed mildly irritated. "I'm in my 'johns, I haven't eaten in days, and I have a very important delivery to make. So can all this 'test' business wait?" The Doc looked taken back.

"Why of course Mr. Evans. 'Scuse my bad manners. Why don't we start with a meal?"

* * *

><p>A tasty steak, a sponge bath, and a few psych tests later, and we were ready to start the day. While Walker prepped his gear in the former operation room, I stepped into the loo. Inside I took a gander at myself through the dirty mirror. Looking back was a man of less than average height, wearing a tattered brown suit. Sadly, my round elongated head did not match well with my narrow shoulders or height. Luckily I was sporting fastidious slicked back hair and muttonchops, all colored a light red.<p>

_If only I had a fitting hat…_

As I ran a hand through my hair Walker stepped into the doorway. "Howdy Pilgrim."

"Mornin' Evans." _Pilgrim? _A leather-gloved hand reached out to me. I took hold and Walker gave me a firm shake. Now he was wearing a leather cowboy hat with matching leather duster and jeans. A belt with an empty holster looped though the dark brown pants. "Thanks. Really appreciate what ya did." A smile rose to my face.

"Certainly Mr. Evans."

"Walker."

"Walker; my apologies." He dismissed it with a wave.

"So what's yer plan?" I gave him a quizzical look. "Ya headin' for Vegas?" he clarified.

"Oh, yes!"

"On a Brahmin?" _He didn't know…_

"Oh well, no. You see I was out of money when I arrived and the Doc was worried he couldn't feed the lot of us… you know that steak you ate this morning?"

"Ah." He said with a smile. Then he looked down and pulled on his leather duster. "Y'see I got me a pickup but I think it ate it after those hooligans shot'er to hell." Then he looked up to me. "If I get it fixed I'll give ya lift to New Vegas." My mouth widened considerably.

"That would be wonderful!"

"Aright good. Could you help me bring 'er up to Goodsprings?" he asked with a thumb pointed over his shoulder. "Certainly." I replied enthusiastically.

"Then let's let the good Doc know and get too it." He turned around and I followed him out. The Doc meet us at the door. "Headin' out?" he asked. A grey object was being wiped with a rag in his hands.

"Yep. I gotta pickup sittin' on the highway. Gonna try fixin' it and head for New Vegas." Walker Explained.

The Doc's eyes brightened up. "Hey there's an old pump station just past the house with truck in it! Good chance you'll find whatever you need there."

Walker gave him a smile. "Damn Doc, you just don't know when to stop given do ya?" the Doc let out a chuckle. "Well I ain't done just yet." He held the grey object out to Walker. A Pip-Boy! My arm ached with the memory of my own, which I of course traded for the recently deceased Mr. Meatsack during my journey from DC. "Appreciate it, Doc." Walker took the Pip boy.

"Haven't used it in years, and I figure a Courier like you could use such a thing." The Doc was rubbing his bald head as if to recall the memories of said years. "Now be on your way."

"Alright Nigel, let's get to it." And with that we stepped into the swirling sand and sun. Shortly after leaving the house Walker began a conversation. "So Nigel, what are ya gonna do in New Vegas?"

"Be an entertainer." I said with a smile.

"Like a musician? You good with the guitar 'n stuff?" I gave him a nod. "Good for you! The last place nice people like you need to be is wandern' the Wastes. Can't tell ya how many times I've nearly died bein' a Courier." At first I brightened up from his lighthearted comment, then I thought back to the other night. "What about Benny?" Walker looked off to the left.

"Let's head this way." Walker diverted off the road towards where we had met that fateful night. Two minutes later and we were at the scene. I looked to Walker. He seemed to be scanning for something. He stepped around the long dead fireplace and pulled a dull silver object from the sands. A revolver. Seating the wood grips in his right hand he flicked the cylinder out, gave it a spin and snapped it back in place. Judging by the size I guessed it was a .44 Magnum. "Glad I found that." With a whirl he holstered the sidearm and continued towards the truck.

Once I caught back up with him I looked at him expectantly. He must have recalled the previous conversation. "Based on your eyewitness account and my foggy memory I'd say I got caught in the middle of some casino rivalry. I've heard the three biggest casinos are run by three different families; And that was no ordinary poker chip." I became confused.

"Poker chip?"

"Yeah that's what this Benny character swiped off me. For one it was a shiny silver color, and it weren't no plastic thing either. If someone would to hire me to transport it, and another person willing to KILL me for it, I'd say it's pretty damn important." I thought about that for a moment, but my earlier question remained unanswered.

"So are you gonna off the wanker?" Walker looked at me.

"Benny? I don't know yet. Personally I would've done the same thing in his shoes, but that doesn't mean I don't owe him a bullet." He said with a grin. "Either way I gotta find more about this situation before I go wackin' people left and right."

"Guess you ought to ask the townsfolk some questions." I suggested.

"Yep. But first we got a truck to fix." He pointed ahead of us, and there lay a rusty pickup. "One more thing." He pulled the Pip boy from his duster. "Take it."

"But the Doc-"

"I've learned to live life with as little technology as possible. Things tend to go better that way." Not wanting to change his mind, I took it from him, pushed my sleeve out of the way and slipped it over my exposed left arm. After closing the clasps a familiar suction pulled at my skin, followed by a small prick to the arm.

I felt whole again.

"You've had one of those before, haven't you?" Walker questioned with a grin.

"What?" I was terribly mystified how he'd known such a thing.

"Fer one you knew how to put the damned thing on, and you already had a matching imprint on your arm."

Oh. I guess it was that obvious.

* * *

><p>Sure enough the truck was shot to hell, but in better condition than most of the scrap heaps that littered the wasteland. Walker had been looking under the hood and checking everything else for a good five minutes when he came over to where I sat in the sand. "Well I think she'll live again, but it'll take while to fix. Ready to push her up to Goodsprings?" I let out a sigh.<p>

"I suppose." I said half-heartedly. He reached out a hand and I took it. Once I was standing Walker reached in the truck, put it in neutral, and began pushing from the doorframe. I took hold from the passenger side. Our boots gained leverage, and the machine slowly picked up momentum. I felt the need to make conversation.

"So what's wrong with it?" I asked. Walker shot me a surprised look from across the cabin.

"Figured you weren't interested." I gave my face a scrunch.

"Not terribly, but it's polite to listen."

"Wise words Nigel." He gave me a smile. "Well the radiator is shot to hell (no surprise there), oil pan's got a hole in it, and I think the break master cylinder's had it. All things considered, I'd say we got off pretty light. If there'd been a hole in the block we'd be swimmin' in radiation right now."

"Lucked out on the tires too." I added. Walker looked over the dash and began turning the truck towards the road to Goodsprings. "Got that right. Not to mention this rig has the one thing every other car in the wastes doesn't." I gave him a puzzled look. "Working CPU." Understanding covered my face.

"Yeah without that we… would… be… AH!" Walker shouted in exhaustion. We were halfway up the road and we'd both run out of steam. Walker jumped in the cab and put it in park. I collapsed next to the truck, lungs straining to recover. I heard Walker collapse on the dashboard, breathing also heavy.

"Damn. I thought… that would be easier." He let out a tired laugh. A thought popped into my mind.

"Should've got us a-"

MOOOW!

Walker threw his head up and I bent over to look under the door. Ahead a Brahmin was being led by a Women with dark hair. Walker stepped out of the truck. "Doc Mitchell said you fellas might need a tow."

"Look Nigel! It's the mother Mary herself here to save us!" That got us all laughing. "How could we possibly repay you?"

"Steer straight and don't kill my Besse." She said with a playful tone.

* * *

><p>After towing the truck to the gas station with the brahmin we politely thanked the lady for her services and set to work on the rig. Six hours later Walker rolled out from under the truck, a grin splitting his face.<p>

"Wanna hear the good news or the better news?" Well that was a surprise.

"Both?"

"The good news is that the truck they left here had all the parts I needed."

"And the better?"

"We are one microfusion cell away from New Vegas." He held out the burnt up cell for me to see.

"Blimey!" is all I had to say. Walker wiped his hands and slapped my shoulder.

"Come on, let's get some drinks." After Walker had put his hat and duster back on he led the way out of the overhang and out onto the street. As we made our way to the Prospector Saloon, an unfamiliar voice caught my attention.

"Well howdy partner!"

A robot. Well, if you call a giant TV with two claw arms and a single rolling wheel stuck to the sides and bottom a robot then yes, it was a robot.

"Name's Victor! Good to see ya among the living Walker!" That got his attention.

"How did you know my name?" Walker said with an edge.

"Don't you worry 'bout that mister." The robot said in a curious tone. Walker turned his attention back to the road. "I'm just happy to see those bad eggs didn't get the best of ya." Walker continued to pay no interest to 'Victor', and the robot finally caught on, turning on his wheel. "Now you look after yourself partner!" I watched him as headed back from where he came.

"He's a fishy one." I said.

"We'll keep an eye on him." Walker looked like he'd box the ears of the next person to stand between him and his drink. Luckily no one showed up as we made our way to the saloon. Walker tipped his hat to the old man in a rocking chair on the porch. On the corner of the building a neon sign read "Prospector Saloon". I was preparing a greeting of my own for the old man when angry voices from inside derailed my thoughts.

"I SAID I don't know!" yelled a woman. Then a young man's voice responded angrily.

"Well I'm done being nice!" Walker's shoulders tensed.

_OH no._

Inside a black man wearing a blue jumpsuit and an armored vest yelling at an older lady who appeared to be the bartender. The man's vest read NCRCF. "If you don't hand over Ringo soon I'm gonna get my friends, and we're gonna burn this shitstain to the-!"

WHAM!

Before I knew it Walker had given the lad a vicious right hook to the chops and knocked him flat on his arse. I remained by the doorway, jaw slacked. Walker sat at the bar. "Whiskey." The lady silently obliged, pulling up an unmarked bottle and a glass. Once she had given him the drink Walker downed it in an instant and slammed the glass on the counter. "What's the problem?" He asked bluntly.

"That man, Joe Cobb, comin' for a man who came into town askin' for shelter 'bout a week ago." The Woman and I watched as Joe slowly rose from the floor, knees knocking about. Once he was upright Walker slowly turned towards him with a look that said: "leave before I tear you a new one." Joe tripped past me and stumbled out the door. Walker turned back to the bartender. "What's your name?"

"Trudy."

"Alright Trudy, this guy Ringo? Where's he at?"

"In the gas station up the road." _Thought I heard something in there earlier…_

"And this Cobb guy? Is he gonna be back anytime soon?" Trudy nodded.

"There's a good chance him and his Powder Ganger buddies are gonna come and try to burn this place to the ground after you socked him." Walker was unfazed. I however was getting a knot in my stomach.

"Yeah well, they're gonna die trying. Any chance you could convince some of the townsfolk to help out?"

"I'll try. No guarantees though." Trudy responded.

"Much obliged Trudy. I'll get a plan goin' and fortify some positions. Nigel I want you to talk to Ringo and tell him were takin' a stand against those thugs." I nodded, swallowing fear once again. "Let's get to it." Before I could decline three of us headed out the door. As I made my way to the gas station implications of the firefight that would ensue filled my head. _What if there's too many?_ _Will anyone help us? Are one of us going to kick it?_ I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I unknowingly stumbled into the front door of the gas station.

"Hold it right there!"

"AAH!" Of course I screamed like a little schoolgirl! What more do you expect from me? "I-I'm unarmed!" Inside a man not much younger than I wearing a plaid shirt and overalls was pointing a gun at me. I worked frantically to calm the young man. "I'm here to help! Please don't shoot!" The man's face looked as if he'd pointed a gun at a puppy. "Alright sorry… you caught me off guard." I let out a sigh of relief as he lowered the pistol. "I'm here to tell you that we're going to make a stand against the…um" The man looked at me expectantly. "Powder Gangers?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes! The Powder Gangers!" I yelled in realization. First he seemed relived, then he started looking past my shoulders. "Whose we?" I drew a blank momentarily.

"Uh myself, a friend of mine, and some townsfolk." _Hopefully._

He seemed to on the brink of smiling from this news. "Really? We might stand a chance against-"

"Nigel?"

Once again I jumped in fright, this time from a voice behind me. I looked around to find a young girl clad in tattered leather and a varmint rifle strapped to her back. "Yes my lady?" There came a strange look on her face, presumably from the title I gave her. "Name's Sunny Smiles. Your friend Walker told me to check on you. Is Ringo in?"

"Well I hadn't got the chance to ask him yet…"

"Yeah, I'm in." He said with surprising confidence.

"Great. Help us move some jersey barriers." I put my back against the rotting door, then stepped out after Ringo on his way out. Looking up at the horizon I was once again greeted by the sight of a beautiful pink and blue sunset, provoking thoughts of my arrival. _I have hardly been here a week and I have narrowly escaped execution, saved a man's life, and now we're about to hold off a gang of murders from destroying a town. I wonder if I should've stayed in DC…_ as I thought this Walker put a hand on my shoulder.

"How you feelin' Pilgrim?" I gave my response with has much courage as I could muster.

"Uh…" He let out a laugh.

"It's alright to be a little scared. You got some iron?" I looked to the massive revolver strapped to his hip.

"No sir, I'm afraid I sold my gun for food on the way here." A question seemed to appear in his mind, but he kept it to himself. "Do you want some?" He reached for the pistol, but I held up my hand in decline. I watched him read the look on my face. "Not everyone's a killer Nigel, but these days you won't make it far without gettin' a little blood on your hands." The truth of his words put a heavy weight on my shoulders. "I suppose you could stick it out in the saloon or the Doc's house. I'm gonna make sure everything's in order." With that he tipped his hat and headed towards the General Store.

I decided to take a seat on the saloon porch. Looking around I admired the preparations underway. Trudy was crouched behind a barrier, inspecting a double-barreled shotgun. To my right Sunny and Ringo were pushing another barrier out into the street, facing the road that intersected from the north right in front of the saloon. Then I looked to the old man as he…

"Bloody hell." My mouth gaped at the sight before me.

"What? You never see 20 pounds of dynamite!" The old man let out a wheezy laugh. In his hand was a wooden box of dynamite from which he was pulling three stick bundles. "Fer God's sake man! You could blow up half the town with that!"

"Hell, I got enough TNT to make a crater out of Goodsprings!" Before I could picture the amount of dynamite required to do such a thing, a voice called out down the north road.

"Alright ya cunt! You and your friends are gonna burn for what you did!" Six men were standing abreast, Joe on their right, holding a small revolver. Two more goons held shotguns, and the remaining three had… _baseball bats? _"Burn in hell yourself, Joe!" Yelled Trudy. A stick of dynamite frizzled in her hand, and she lobbed it over the barrier. With a loud boon it went off just out of range, Powder Gangers diving for cover. The firefight had begun. Feeling terribly exposed I jumped off the porch and behind a third barrier. Pushing my left side against the barrier I watched Sunny and Ringo take turns shooting over their shared cover. Trudy's shotgun was discharging behind me, and I could hear the pop of Joe's pistol in the distance. A thought made my heart sink.

"Where's Walker?!" I yelled out. Sunny ducked behind the barrier and dropped a magazine from her rifle. "I don't know!" She turned to Ringo, who put his back to the k-rail to reload. "Where's Walker?" Ringo shrugged. Sunny mouthed a silent cures. Then Trudy's shotgun went silent. Nothing. Everyone was reloading! Then a conjoined shout came from ahead, and two baseball bat thugs came charging up the road.

Before I could piss my pants a loud knocking noise came from behind me, followed by a thud and sizzle at my feet. My eyes turned to dinner plates. One of the old man's explosives had deflected off the sign and landed inches from me! He let out a gasp. Without thought I grabbed the bundle and chucked it downrange as hard as I could. My heart sank. It was tumbling straight for a house! The thought of it landing on the roof and exploding burned in my mind. But instead it bounced off the eve, tumbled through the air, and exploded a foot above the charging Powder Gangers. The pair dropped like a sack of potatoes, glass exploding from the nearest house. Sunny let out a holler.

"Woho!"

"Damn son!" said the man on the porch. Trudy made a small laugh.

"Nice throw Nigel." I felt a low chuckle of my own escape.

_Did I just laugh? Where did that come from? _

Peering over the barrier I scanned the battleground ahead. The two thugs I'd taken out remained motionless and covered in glass shards. Looking past them I could Joe moving just behind a rise that met the road. The metal sign in front of him had been shot to hell. But where were the other three? I heard a yell from the right. A Powder Ganger with a bat ran from cover towards the next house on the right.

_What the hell?_

Without warning Walker stepped into the open, grabbed the man's bat mid swing, and exploded the chap's head with the hand cannon. An agonizing scream echoed from ahead. _Did he hit two men with one shot? _The pistol roared twice more as Walker stepped behind house the Powder Gangers were presumably taking cover behind. Movement from the left caught my eye. Joe was turning to get a shot on Walker. Right as Joe swung his arm around an explosion ripped through his elbow, sending the pistol flying from his hand. Walker stepped onto the street.

"NononopleaseWAI-!" BOOM!

Without hesitation Walker strolled over to Joe and turned his head to ground beef. I cringed at the sound of brain bits splatting on the ground. It was over. The six of us could hardly believe it. Even after watching Walker empty the cylinder of his revolver and begin reloading we remained behind those jersey barriers, ready for anything. Only when he was halfway to the saloon did we start relaxing. Trudy yelled out to Walker.

"WHOOOEE Walker! You're a one man army!" Sunny joined the commendation.

"Yeah, the hell you need us for?!" Walker's mouth became visibly wider as he looked down at his revolver. "Y'all played the very important role of providing a distraction so I could get close and personal." He looked back at the two thugs laying in the street. "Who took them out?" The people around me were not going to let my quick thinking go unpunished. "Why Nigel did of course!" Sunny said joyfully. "Bounced a stick of dynamite of that house like he was takin' a pool shot!" Yelled the old man from behind. Walker looked up and beamed at me. "I'm mighty pleased with you, Nigel." I felt the need to clarify the story. "Well I wasn't planning on throwing it." He made a clarification of his own.

"Wasn't talkin 'bout the dynamite."

* * *

><p>After that we cleaned the mess we made, looting bodies, burying them, and then distributing the loot amongst us and the townsfolk. The typical wasteland doctrine. Afterwards Walker asked around about Benny and learned they were heading to New Vegas, but were taking highway 95 to avoid a recent Deathclaw infestation. Ringo promised we would get paid by the Crimson Caravan if we stopped by their headquarters near New Vegas. A short walk to Victor's cabin was rewarded with a new microfusion cell, which Walker quickly installed. We said our goodbyes, I dumped my bags into the bed of Walker's truck, and before I knew it the sand was streaking by as I looked out the window.<p>

"Now what?" I looked to Walker.

"Gonna stop at Primm, see if we can get some more supplies, maybe find more on this Benny guy." I paused for a moment, then got my guitar ready. I put on my best commentator voice. "I think it's time we played a song for a man who did a smashing job saving some townsfolk today. A man, with big iron on his hip." I started strumming, and Walker rolled his eyes. "Oh brother…"

"_To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day,_

_Hardly spoke to folks around him didn't have too much to say_" Walker interrupted me.

"Waiwaiait, how do you do that?" I looked at him innocently.

"Do what?" I knew exactly what he meant.

"You went from yer 'brit speak' to American in a snap. How'd you manage that?"

"Oh, y'see my father was all American, but I was raised by an English man in my early teens. Needless to say I picked up his accent. Now I can switch between the two like I was blinkin'!" Sarcasm seemed to spill from his eyes. "Aright keep playin'." I picked up where I left off.

"_No one dared to ask his business no one dared to make a slip_

_For the stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip, big iron on his hip_"


	2. A Walk in the Dark

**A walk in the Dark**

The sun quickly set as we made our way to Primm. I was absent mindedly staring out the passenger window (don't ask me how it was still intact after a nuclear holocaust, a recent firefight, and god knows what else) when a thought surfaced. I sat up to look to Walker. "How'd you kill those wankers like that?" Walker turned to me with a question in his eye. "I mean, it was like you were shootin' nothin'." His sight returned to the road, lost in thought. "Those kind of people, the kind they throw in NCR prisons, are real bad folk. People beyond redemption, and aren't lookin' for any either." He paused a moment. I looked back to the window, wondering what makes a man so evil. "The only thing they're capable of creating is pain and suffering."

_Better off dead… _

Soon thereafter light glowed from the right side of the road. A couple hundred feet from the town Walker pulled to the side of the highway and silenced the pickup. _Why didn't we just pull into town? _"Sometin's not right here." Walker opened his door and paused to listen. I held still to listen myself. Nothing. "Nobody outside, and I can't hear a thing. There's definitely a problem." Walker stepped out the door and turned for the bed of the truck. I creaked my door open and stood out into the night. The darkness seemed to be filled with all kinds of unseen horrors, waiting to pounce. I wished to retreat to the safety of the truck cab.

I peered over my left shoulder. Walker was rummaging through the objects littering the bed of his pickup. He hands found a weathered leather backpack. Pulled from a scabbard tied to the backpack was a lever action rifle. After checking the rifle over he produced a bandolier full of bullets and buried the bag under some clutter. Shouldering the bandolier he made his way around the front of truck and I met him halfway. "Sure you wanna follow?" he asked.

"Stop askin' before I turn tail." I said with extra concern.

"You gonna shoot 'em with that?" He pointed down at my guitar, a smile slowly splitting his face. I unknowingly brought my scratch-built beauty with me out of the truck. "Oh, no gimme a sec." I quickly turned and placed it back in the truck. "Be like losin' a kid." I commented after meeting up with Walker. Moving forward we came to a concrete wall surrounding the small town. A large gap in the towering perimeter spilled yellow light onto the dilapidated road before us. Hugging the wall, Walker motioned to move behind. Body hugging the wall he slowly brought his head around the wall. A moment later he nonchalantly steeped around the corner. Confused as hell I followed suit.

_What the-? Oh._

A few hundred feet ahead past bombed out buildings was a tiny shack made of metal sheets occupied by a lone NCR trooper. Walker held up a hand as he moved towards the man. Satisfied it was safe I worked to catch up to Walker. He greeted the guard. "Hey."

"hello." Replied the soldier. Walker seemed a bit hesitant to continue forward.

"I need to enter Primm." The trooper's face became apologetic.

"I'm sorry sir but Pimm's closed. A bunch of Powder Gangers came in and took over." Walker shifted his feet, frustration building. "Alright where's your commanding officer?" the man seemed to stiffen at the question of his authority over Walker. He glanced to his left down the road, then turned back to Walker. "Sir I can't let you go-" Before he could finish Walker was a good distance down the road, attitude clearly displayed in his gait. I indecisively glanced at the dismayed trooper, back to Walker, then jogged to catch up. Looking ahead there was three green tents, dimly lit by a burning trash barrel nearby. A soldier warming his hands peered over at us, then pulled open the middle tent. "Sir, there are people here." He whispered.

Walker stopped a few yards from the NCR 'camp'. I stood on his left and shot him a raised eyebrow. His gaze told me to wait a moment. Soon the door opened, and a man wearing a green beret and an armored NCR uniform stepped out. Walker stepped forward and shook the man's hand. "Lieutenant Hayes. How can I help you two gentleman?" Asked the Lieutenant.

"Walker. I need to get into Primm. I'm on the trail of the man who shot me." Hayes studied Walker, then asked "What exactly do plan on doing?"

"Get inside the Mojave Express, see if I can find out why my package was to kill for." Walker replied.

"So you're a Courier then?"

"Yes sir." The lieutenant appeared to be tossing an idea around in his head.

"Alright, but only if you do something for me." Walker waited silently to hear his offer. "We've cornered a small group of the escaped convicts here in Primm, but I've lost a lot of men and we need reinforcement. Unfortunately we only have short-wave radios." Hayes pulled a creased paper from a vest pocket. "Can you deliver this to Major Knight at the Mojave Outpost?" Walker nodded and took the paper. "Then you're free to enter Primm. Watch your ass in there, most of the convicts are inside the Bison Steve, but lookout for stragglers outside." Walker tipped his hat and we turned back down the street. "Now if you die Courier then the other guy's gotta make the delivery!" Shouted Hayes, voice echoing into darkness. I looked over at Walker.

"You're not going to die right?" I asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Hell no. And neither are you." He assured with a grin. As we turned right around the guard shack the trooper yelled "It's not worth it guys." Walker ignored him. After passing the shack Walker put his hand out to halt. "Got mines up here." I looked over his left shoulder and sure enough there were a dozen large golden tuna can-like objects strewn about the street. He made a wide birth around the left and I watched the red lights atop the mines carefully. After passing the mines I began to feel smaller. On the left stood a large five story square building, windows all over the brick walls. The right side was lined with one and two story businesses, and at the end of the street the word EXPRESS faced forward in big orange letters atop the last building. Only the edges of the letters were visible, streetlamps spilling their yellow light downward. Walker shouldered his rifle and proceeded cautiously.

Convinced we were walking straight into danger, I frantically scanned every dark corner I could find, hoping to spot danger before it found us. Half of me was screaming _CLEAR OFF!_ While the other argued with silent, determined curiosity. Walker also scanned the darkness, but his head glided from one view to another, while I appeared to be off my rocker. The outpost a yard away, Walker brought his cheek to the stock and slowly approached the door. Then he crouched down just past the door to inspect something on the ground. I realized with a jump it was a man lying on the ground. "Bloody hell." It looked like his head had been smashed into the wall, evidenced by blood splattered on the wood and pooled about his head. Looking over Walker's crouching form I watched him pull a paper from the dead man's grip and inspect it closely. He stood up rather slowly and pulled a paper from his duster, holding the two side by side. Identical.

"Could ya put me in the loop Walker?" He continued to stare at the papers.

"Same order, different items." I felt the pieces collide and begrudgingly arrange themselves.

"A decoy?"

"Yeah, think so. If so, that Chip might be more than we think it is." Both orders were slipped into his duster. "We gotta find Benny." Walker retrieved his rifle and turned to the door. With great care he turned the knob and creaked the door inward. A tower of light slid across the floor, but failed to properly light the interior. Feeling an opportunity I stepped forward. "Allow me." With a button press sharp white light filled the inside of the outpost. "Well that's useful. Lead on." Said Walker. I entered slowly with a light step, directing the light across the counter and the back wall. At the far end of the counter there appeared to be a large ball of scrap metal, neighbored by miscellaneous electrical bits. "The hell?" I asked aloud. Then my brain figured it out, and in an instant the ball became a robot. Memory drew me closer. "Hey I've seen these before."

"What is it?" Walker asked over my shoulder.

"Well, I don't know what ya call 'em, but they were spoutin' the words of President Eden back in DC."

"Eden?" Walker was unfamiliar with the name.

"Oh some wanker trying to take over the wasteland. Think he bit the dust since his eyebot army stopped broadcasting right before I left." I moved in to study the robot. I had often seen them floating around in DC, but I had never been able to see one up close. As I regarded the antennas sticking out like whiskers and the large grille-covered speaker in the front a word popped in my head. "Eyebots!"

"Eyebots." Walker repeated. Another word came to me. Vintage. Although most robots you find DO look as if they were made over 200 years ago, this eyebot showed significantly more wear. A battered license plate had been bent spherically about one side of the bot. "ED-E." Pinching one corner and lifting revealed a jagged hole likely created by a large caliber round. Inside was a jumble of hardware, servos and circuitry. But not all was equal. The hardware closest to the hole was almost shiny, the surrounding innards coated a reddish brown. Further studying revealed the shattered remains of a small cylindrical object suspended in clamps. Fueled by curiosity I sifted through the pile of bits until I found what I entirely assumed was a matching part.

_Will this work? Ah what the hell._

With that I fished out the broken pieces, carefully lined up the pins and pressed inward. Just as I thought the bit would break,

Click.

With alarming speed the eyebot shot straight up and hovered inches below the ceiling. Walker brought his rifle up in a flash. I took a step back, heart feeling as if it had exploded.

"Aaand Bob's yer uncle!" I said with a frightened laugh.

"The Hell'd you do?" Asked Walker from behind. The eyebot appeared to be scanning the room, rapidly rotating left and right. A vaguely microphone shaped object connected to the bottom of its hull began to glow red.

_Well, guess I should've wondered if it was friendly of not. _It's grille turned downward. "I-I saw a bit broken in there, so I took it out and put in a new one." The eyebot seemed to calm down. "Guess someone's gonna be real happy I fixed their eyebot."

"Hey what's that?" Walker pointed around my shoulder to something on the counter. I picked up a small scrap of paper. I read it aloud. "Ruby: We've taken refuge in the Vikki and Vance. Get there as soon as you can. Johnson." I cranked my head around to face Walker. "Vikki and Vance?"

"Think it's the building across the street." He replied. "Let's check on the folks in there." We turned and headed to the door, but before we exited Walker looked over his shoulder. I looked too, and found the eyebot hovering just behind us. He was following. Walker and I met confused looks, and I decided to talk to it. "Uh, ED-E?" I pronounced it ed- daye but had no idea what the proper enunciation was. "Do you have an owner?"

Be-bel-beep.

I shot Walker a bewildered look. "Well I wasn't expectin' that. Figured it would talk like the rest of 'em." I looked back up to ED-E. "Well ED-E, you can hop along if you like."

Whirr-eep!

The eyebot bobbed in the air…approvingly? I was really confused. "Let's get a move on then." Walker Exited the Mojave Express, ED-E and I following into the darkness. Seconds later Walker pounded on the door of the Vikki and Vance. Light poured out a slot opened in the door, then a wild set of eyes filled the view. "Whadaya want?" Growled the man.

"Name's Walker. I'm a courier. Can I speak to the man who runs the Mojave Express?" low growl and the light ceased. After hearing some muffled yelling the slot shot open again. "Alright, you can talk to Johnson, but I got my eyes on you. Pull anythin' and I'll perforate ya!" I was a little concerned by the enthusiasm he placed in the last sentence. Nonetheless the door creaked open and shut behind us without problem. The inside look like any other casino, apart from an old blue car riddled with bullet holes at the far end of the building. An old man's voice called out to us. "Hey! Ya got the thing to live again!" I looked over to see a leather faced man pointing a finger at the hovering eyebot. Walker moved up to the man.

"Are you Johnson?"

"Sure am! You a courier?"

"Yes sir. Name's Walker." The two shook hands. "Is this your eyebot?" Johnson pushed his hands into the pockets of his brown overalls. "Well I guess you could say that. Found it lying on the side of the highway a few weeks ago, and it's been my little project since."

"Well here ya go." Walker gestured to the eyebot as if to hand it back to Johnson. My shoulders dropped. _Didn't even have it for five minutes and it's gone… _But Johnson held up a hand. "Naah, you can keep it. I just needed somethin' to do. No idea what I'd do with a thing like that anyway." I cheered inside, and ED-E let out what I thought were happy beeps. "Well if yer lookin' fer work right now courier I'm afraid I don't have any at the moment, and even if I did I'm too busy keepin' clear of those Powder Gangsters." _Powder Gangers._ I corrected in my mind.

"Actually I was wonderin' if you could tell me more about these orders." Walker handed Johnson the two papers. "Oh, one of THEM. Yeah that was a pretty strange order. Some cowboy robot rolled in and hired six couriers to transport stuff like a pair of dice, a chess piece, things uh that nature." Walker turned to me and mouthed exactly what I was thinking.

_Victor? _

"Yer not talkin' about the robot there are ya?" Walker pointed at a Protectron wearing a cowboy hat over by the slot machines. Johnson chuckled. "Him? No. He's our actin' deputy. The one I'm thinking of was one of those TV-faced dudes with a cowboy face." So it was true. The fishy bastard in Goodsprings did hire Walker. "Thank for the info. Anything else you could tell me?" Probed Walker. Johnson rubbed his chin for a moment. "Well the first sleaz we hired to carry the chip cancelled. Saw your name was next on the list and said 'Let Courier Six carry the package." Johnson raised his hands and spoke as if he was some kind of crazy medicine man. "Then he took off."

_Whatever that meant._ Walker seemed to think the same as he took the conversation in another direction. "Did you happen to see a man in a checkered suit?"

"Now you mention it, a few nights ago one of the townies mentioned seein' such a man. But if you really wanna know somethin' about 'em you should talk to Deputy Beagle. He was keepin' a close eye on him while they were in town. But you might have a problem there."

"Why's that?" Wondered Walker.

"Well I haven't seen him since those Powder Gangsters came to town."

_Oh Great._

Shortly after our conversation with Johnson we found ourselves walking towards the Bison Steve. "Either we find him in there or he's dead" Walker surmised.

"You sure I should stick around?" I asked Walker.

"If the shit hits the fan we'll hightail it back to the Vikki and Vance. And if all else fails we'll burn the Bison to the ground, flush 'em out. Keep quiet." Walker cracked the door open and peered in. then as soundlessly as possible He pushed the door open and the three of us entered the building. Walker put his back against the wall ahead and I followed suit. ED-E hovered nearby. On his right there was a dark hallway. Walker took a look around the corner and ED-E came down to hover at head height. Walker looked back to ED-E and I. He began to whisper "There's a guy about halfw-"

BUDADAA, DA-Wham!

Blaring battle music erupted from ED-E, but before it could continue Walker slammed his fist into the side of the eyebot. "The fuck are ya doin'? tryin' to kill us!" a voice echoed from the hall.

"The hell was that?" Walker put his hand up to silence us. I held as still as I could, listening to the footsteps grow nearer. Walker was pulling a large knife from his belt. Just when the footsteps felt inches away Walker ran around the corner. A sickening gurgle came from the hall, followed by a series of thuds. My heart pounded vigorously. Then Walker came back down the hall, dragging the man's body. He quickly stuffed it under a nearby bench. He pushed out a loud sigh. "Now. Don't do that again." He leveled his finger at ED-E.

THUD

The three of us whirled around. At the other side the hall stood a man wielding a massive flamethrower.

_Oh codswallop. _

Walker dropped to a knee and fired two shots at the man. The first bullet hit him in the shoulder, pushing him back. Then the next shot ricocheted of the big silver tank with a clang and hiss. Right as the Flamethrower swung around to rain fire down the hall a red beam shot past my head. The arc connected to the tank.

WHOOOM!

Light and fire erupted from the hallway, blasting me with heat. The three of us ducked around the corner. From safety Walker and I peered down the hall. All that remained of the Powder Ganger was a pile of metal and a molten corpse. First I was relived, then I looked at the walls. They were engulfed in flames.

"We gotta move." Walker took off down the hallway, rifle raised. Following him I heard people shouting and running elsewhere in the building. At an intersection of another hallway Walker leaned to the right and shot four times. He sprinted through the hall towards a kitchen area. After clearing the open hall I hugged the wall just outside while ED-E and Walker raced in. A few rifle and laser blasts later I joined them. Inside Walker was bringing a bound man to his feet. "You Deputy Beagle?" He asked.

"Yeah man!"

"Alright let's go! ED-E you lead! Nigel give 'em a hand!" Hands trembling I held the man's shoulder to steady him as Walker cut his leg lashings and picked up his rifle. Already the halls were filling with smoke, and I could see shadows dance across wall at the end of the hallway. I watched ED-E zoom overhead and fly into the hall. Then voices yelled out at the sight of him and he banked left, laser discharging and music blaring. As we ran through the open hall I counted three dead bodies and a red beam destroying another as ED-E dispatched the final enemy. Almost to the opening room ED-E zoomed in behind us, pushing the billowing smoke aside. As Walker approached the corner he pushed a few more cartridges into his rifle. Before he could leave the hallway flames advanced into view, sending Walker running back to us.

"Damn! We gotta find another way!" He began to cough loudly. My eyes stung terribly and ashes seemed to coat my lungs. _How the hell do we leave when we can't get to the door?_

A thought popped. "Dynamite!" Walker and Beagle looked at me like I was crazy. "Come on, this way!" I ran back to the dead Powder Gangers and searched their bodies. The other three caught up just in time to see me pick three sticks of dynamite off the corpses. "I'll throw into the flames and it'll blow the wall out!"

"Well do it already!" Urged Walker. Running out onto the casino floor I found the origin of the flames, stepped back and hurled the sticks downrange. Just when the third stick careened into the flames a bright flash and concussive wave slammed into me.

BOOM!

Discombobulated I stumbled to the ground only to have Walker grip my right shoulder and throw me upright. Barley staying on my feet the three of us sprinted forward. Through my blurred vision I watched the wall crumble into blackness and yellow light, small flames licking the walls edges. The sound of flames grew stronger, then with a whoosh it was silenced by open air.


	3. For a Few Drinks More

**For a Few Drinks More**

"Nigel, Wake up."

"Uh?" Clammy hands met the sides of my head, and I sat upright. I attempted to wipe the grogginess from my face, but it stuck like a thick coat of grease. Taking stock of my surroundings I found I was in the same place my tired body collapsed hours ago, a cushy bench in the Vikki & Vance. I lifted my arm to check the time. The Pip-Boy read 5:03PM in amber light. _Seven hours? _

"We're leaving soon. Meet me at the door when you're ready." Said Walker, then turned towards the front of the casino. I extended my arms high in the air and let loose a mighty yawn. _Guess I needed the rest after all that work. _After Walker, Deputy Beagle, ED-E and I escaped the Bison Steve, we fought hard to keep the building from burning to the ground. Of course water is hard to come by in the Mojave Desert, so we dumped bucket after bucket of sand on the raging inferno. Despite not having something like a Sand Hose (the idea came to me while killing the flames) we managed to save the building from destruction.

Of course our work wasn't done there. The townsfolk wanted the Bison usable, so we helped them shovel, then sweep out mounds of dirt. Satisfied we had done our share, the townspeople let us rest. They would repair the broken wall. _Guess we're on the road again. _Standing up I looked over the death car and spied Walker talking to Johnson. Putting my left foot forward the awareness of a presence bore into my forehead. Looking up I saw ED-E, inches from my face.

"You starin' at me?" I threw up my arm and pointed at myself with a sarcastic flair.

Be-bloop…

"Wait did you get that?!"

Blip blip!

ED-E did a bobble that would be accompanied by a shrug, that is if he had arms, then he floated off towards Walker. "Bloody eyebots." I strolled around the car display and headed towards Walker. He was leaning on the yellow wall next to the door, arms crossed. His gaze turned my way when I came near. "You ready?" he asked.

"Guess so."

"Let's head out then." Walker stood from the wall, gave Johnson a final wave, then he opened the door. Dry desert air blew from the west, and the heat came down quickly. I took a moment to admire the town. I reflected on how imposing the walls had felt the night before, and was happy they were more welcoming in the light. I shoved my hands in my pockets.

"Well that was one hell of a night. We gonna save the rest of Vegas while we're at it?" I asked Walker sarcastically. He laughed a little. "Sure hope not. Maybe we'll cut a break in Novac."

"Is that where we're headin'?"

"Gotta drop off Haye's reinforcement request at the Mojave Outpost first, then Novac. That's the next place Benny will…" He trailed off and paused just before the mines. He shook his head with a laugh. "I'm sorry, I completely forgot I owe you a ride to New Vegas." He looked to me. "We'll head there first thing." I paused a moment to think. A week ago I would've insisted we head there right away, but now…

"It's alright if we take out time getting there. Besides, I wanna see Benny eat your fist." I shot him a grin. Walker resumed his heading. "You sure? This keeps up and you might find yourself takin' a dirt nap." Shortly after we stepped past the walls bordering Primm and the rusty pickup came into view. Then I thought of a proper response. "Nah! You know that Vit-o-Matic tester?" I asked Walker, holding back a smile.

"Yeah?" He wondered, raising his eyebrow.

"I got a 9 for luck." I couldn't help my smile turn toothy.

"Bullshit!" even ED-E made some doubtful beeps.

"Ya don't believe me! How do explain my survival through all this fuss!"

"Oh that was all me!" Walker was wearing his best shit eating grin.

"Oh come off it! It was MY divine luck!" The argument lasted halfway to the outpost.

* * *

><p>Despite receiving a full seven hours of sleep, I was feeling rather rough. I tired rolling down the window, but the mechanism was stuck. Then I realized the air from Walker's window wasn't any cooler anyway, so I just stared out the window. Of course my side ran against a rock face, so there was no desert tapestry to admire. Smoke which seeped into my suit was now giving off an awful stench, creating an awful headache. All this, combined with the taste of gritty sand, left me quite brassed off at the moment.<p>

_I need a drink._

"Walker? You got any hard stuff? Booze?" I looked at him expecting a timely response, but he kept his eyes glued to the road. I could see ED-E zooming along out the windshield. "Uh yeah, we'll just…" He trailed off. _The hell is wrong with ya! _I glanced to the road to see what had him so mesmerized. First I noticed a gas station on the left with some people running towards the road. Then my eyes caught a man standing just a few hundred feet in front of us, flanked by sawhorses blocking the way. The man raised something to his face.

_What in the- _

Rubber squealed loudly. My body flew to the opposite end of the truck, temple slamming into glass. A rifle boomed, sound moving towards my right ear. I heard ED-E's laser discharging. The pickup bounced into the sand. Walker wrenched the steering wheel left. The gas station zoomed by the right side, missed by inches. Walker's arms were a blur as he turned the steering wheel back, throwing the rear end left. Dust billowed from the sides of the truck. Then with a chirp the tires returned to broken asphalt. I clutched the side of my head.

"Y'all right?" Walker inquired. I let out a heavy breath.

"Just fine. 'Hurts is all."

"You didn't break the glass, so you should be okay." He assured me. _Now I really needed something strong._ "The outpost is just up the hill." The road banked right and we climbed up a long rise. Many dead cars and even a semi sat on the road, so most of the diving was spent weaving in and out of the sand. All the way I gawked at a massive sculpture of two men shaking hands. The thing must have been 50 feet tall and clearly visible from the ridge. Once we crested the hill Walker pulled to the left and parked beside a large red sign with the two headed bear of the NCR. Behind the sign was a tan one story building closed in by fencing. Walker and I departed the vehicle.

"ED-E, could you watch the truck for us?" Walker asked. The eyebot nodded, and positioned himself above the truck cab. Walker made his way around the front of the truck. "Nigel, I'm gonna find Major Knight. There's a bar inside, so you can get a drink in the meantime."

"Thank goodness." I said with a sigh. Just after entering the fenced perimeter a whistle sounded from above. Walker and I looked up to see a woman looking down. She was dressed similarly to Walker and had a scoped rifle on her back. "Hey you!" She called out. Walker and I shot confused looks at each other. "Me?" I asked.

"No! The handsome one! I got a job for you!" She yelled. My shoulders drooped and I looked at Walker. He shrugged and headed around the building to join her above. I continued forward and pushed open the door to the Mojave Outpost. My mind quickly focused on alcohol when I saw the small bar to the right. Then a beautiful sight threw a spanner in the works. Sitting (actually it was more of a swaying) at the bar was a very attractive woman. Torn jeans rhymed perfectly with a white and pink plaid shirt covered by a short brown jacket. Crimson hair frizzled back to a pony tail, unmolested by a tattered cowboy hat on the counter.

_Alright Nigel, get sharp._

I rolled my shoulders, gave my suit a tug, and strolled over to a seat beside her. At first I acted as if I was unaware of her presence, preceding to ask the bartender for a beer. Then I made it out as if she suddenly appeared in my realm, and I turned her way. "Hello there." I said with a grin. Her head swiveled my way like a baseball in a bowl. "Y'lookin' fer trouble?" she threatened.

"Why of course not." I assured her. She took a swig from a yellowed whiskey bottle in her hand. The brown water waved around inside. There appeared to be a quarter left. I smiled even wider. _This is going to be too easy. _Little did I know she was on her third bottle. I leaned back with the beer in my hand. I called her out. "You sure you can handle all that whiskey?" her green eyes flared.

"Y'bet yur ass I can!" She mumbled loudly, slamming the whiskey bottle on the counter. I shook my head in denial. "I don't believe you Lil'missy." I challenged again.

"Right as rain I'll close the bar! I've got a hundred bottles left 'n me!" She chanted on. I leaned in. "Are you sure about that?" I asked, drawing out the 'u' in sure.

"Swear on 'mdad's name! Whudever… it is!" She stumbled out. I interlocked my fingers as if I was deep in thought, then looked her in the eye. "Well why don't we have a little drink off then?" I asked with a smile. "Whoever empties the most of a full bottle of whiskey wins." She blurted a broken laugh.

"ONE bottle! Yer on! Now what's th'prize?" She asked, the neck of the bottle dangling from her black gloved fingertips. Looked to the ceiling as if in thought. I could see Walker enter the outpost and stroll past in the corner of my eye. "Well if YOU win, I'll pay your tab…"

"OOOH!"

"And if I win…" I paused for dramatic effect. "…We're gonna have some fun out back, if you know what I mean." I let my teeth show through. She swallowed it hook, line and sinker.

"Like HELL we are!" she pounded her fist on the counter. "Boss! Get me two full bottles of th'good stuff!" She yelled to the bartender. The man rolled his eyes and dropped two bottles of fresh whiskey in front of us and uncorked them. I gently set my beer aside, and she dropped the old bottle of whiskey on the counter with as much clumsiness as possible, yet it kept its balance surprisingly well, teetering about till it became inert. "Game on mister!" She cried out, taking a swig of the fresh bottle. I watched as the Whiskey hit her throat. I took a drink of my own.

_She'll be out in five shots… _I estimated with a grin. But I was grossly mistaken. About thirty minutes later and we were still at it. She was two thirds into her bottle, and I had managed to push myself well beyond my limits till there was a quarter of whiskey remaining. But I was on the ropes. The lights were spinning, I was quite numb in all aspects, and my head was ready to hit the bar. Then a bottle crashed to the floor.

"Uuuh,I cu-can't…" She barely managed before hear head collapsed into her arm. My brain went blank, then the lightbulb popped. "Yaaay! I won!" My arms shot into the air and swayed about, almost sending me to the floor. My hands landed on her shoulders. "Alright Missy, you nd'I are gun'nahave a wild ride!" I pulled her up and she was about as steady (and conscious) as a spaghetti noodle. By what I assume was blind luck we managed to stumble to the old pickup. ED-E watched from above, regarding us like children. The lady pointed a lazy hand at the eyebot.

"T-The moon?"

The next part was like the eighth wonder of the world as we climbed drunkenly into the bed of the battered truck. Then we laid beside each other without a care for the belongings under us. She let out a drunken giggle, followed by a snort.

"Y'wont b'giglin' 'er… snortin' fer long, there uh, urh!" My hands we struggling (surprising I even had the energy to attempt it) to undue the button on my pants when a barrage of sound hit my ears.

HOOONNNKH!

She let out a massive snore, mouth straining to open wide enough. My hands flopped to the side like dead fish. For whatever reason my inebriated brain decided if a woman is asleep you can't have a romp with her, so I turned over and passed out shortly after.

* * *

><p>I awoke hours later. One side of my temple was embedded in a black duffel bag. After peeling my face off the bag I sat upright. For a moment I stared at the sunrise as it peaked over the expansive desert. Then came the hurt. With a slow creep hunger, soreness, aching and throbbing spilled over all at once. I gripped the sides of my head. "Uh, make it stop!" I pleaded to the gods, fingers clawing into my muttonchops. The woman made a stir. I looked over to see her pull herself up. I admired the diamond pendant drawn along her wonderful neckline as she rubbed her eyes. Her eyes met mine, and I gave her a bright smile.<p>

"You son of a bitch!" Hands gripped my neck like vices and threw my head about violently. A segment of my brain detached from reality and recalled vividly the time I found a bobble head of a Vault Boy wearing a green hat and holding a shamrock in DC.

_Who the bloody hell makes these? And who BUYS them?_ I had asked myself.

"No good, flea bittin'…!" Her snarled words brought me back. My vocal cords vibrated a plea bargin.

"GA-GAK-GURG!" By this time the rocking motion of the truck and the lady's yelling had awaken Walker inside the cab. I couldn't see him exit since my world was a sickening blur, but I heard the door fly open and His voice call out. "Hey! Let'em go!" My head jerked forward, then the clasps released and I was free to breathe again. I sucked in gobs of air, then my stomach demanded I make road pizza.

"The hell's goin' on here?!" Walker demanded. I put my head over the side of the bed, but my stomach had been empty since Goodsprings, so I dry heaved. "That yellow bellied BASTARD helped himself to m'goods!" She yelled.

"Nigel?!" Walker commanded my attention, and I turned to look him in the eye. "Did you… rape this woman?" I strained to gather the memories of last night.

"Uh, I don't think so... We had a drinking game, but I think we crashed before bangin'." Walker looked up at ED-E, who was hovering by the front of the truck. "ED-E, did these two have sex?" I realized that this must be quite awkward for Walker, and I doubted the eyebot had any understanding of the situation. But after a few seconds the bot comprehended, slowly turning his head left and right with a few quite bleeps. Walker released the woman.

"Damnit woman! Did you even check yourself before ringin' his neck?" Her cheeks flushed and she turned to chew him out, but the truth silenced her. Her arms crossed and she sat in defiance of her obvious defeat. The rest of us just hung around, unsure of what to do next. Finally Walker spoke up. "Nigel, let's get somethin' to eat. You go 'bout your business lady."

"I ain't no lady…" She muttered under her breath as we stepped out of the pickup. Walker and I met abreast, then moseyed towards the outpost. The woman grabbed her shotgun out of the pickup and walked behind us, eyes glued to the sand. We took a quick look back, eyed each other quizzically, and then continued walking. Inside the outpost we ordered some food on the other end of the counter, while the woman returned to her post at the bar. I scoffed quietly.

"She must be insane, goin' for another round. Still quite sexy though." I reasoned bluntly.

"Jesus." Walker muttered as he took a sip of hot coffee. Then he leaned back to scrutinize me. "You wanna tell me what the hell happened last night?" I forced out a breath. "Well uh, I came in and here was this tidy lady all boozed up, and I thought: 'I'm feelin' lucky tonight.' So I challenged her to a drinking game, sayin' if I won I could have a ride. I thought she would be out in a few shots and be ripe for the takin', but I had to drink three quarters'a bottle before she gave up!" My hands were in the air and Walker was laughing quietly. "Then before we could get it on she conks out! I never got my prize!"

"Well shucks man, she was yer's to ride the whole time!" Walker realized aloud. I started forking up my scrambled eggs. "So what'd that one chick want with ya?" I asked Walker. He swallowed some steak and wiped his mouth with a sleeve. "Oh she asked if I could recon a town for her, pledged a good sum of caps. There was some black smoke risin' near a place called Nipton, wanted to know if things were okay there." I inhaled a forkful of eggs. "Was that all?" Walker acted like he'd been found out.

"No, she was itchin' to tear my clothes off the whole time. I'm surprised she didn't jump me right there!" He said with a smile.

"Well did ya hump it out?" I pried with a snarky grin. He shook his head and leaned in close.

"No; You know what's worse than a woman gone mad?" I gave a shrug. "A woman gone mad with a rifle in her hands! So I agreed to the job and took off before she trapped me." I laughed and pushed away my empty plate and sat back. "What a switch-up. So we headin' there now?" I asked.

"Yep, just gotta pay the tab and were off." After giving the waitress a few caps we strolled out the door. Once we were sitting in the truck I wasn't sure what was in store for us. "Walker, what do you think will be down there?"

"Oh probably nothing, just a burning car or somethin'." Suddenly the passenger side door creaked open and I was pushed to the middle of the bench seat.

"I'm comin' with." The woman who had strangled me just minutes before was now sitting in the passenger seat, shotgun between her legs. Once again Walker and I were dumfounded. "You sure you wanna come?" Asked Walker.

"Got nothin' better to do and I could use the caps." Her eyes shot straight ahead. Filled with confusion and indifference, we shrugged our shoulders and Walker turned the truck around. As we descended the rise a question that should have been answered hours ago finally surfaced. "You know, I never did catch your name."

"Cass."


	4. Meet the Bull

**Meet the Bull**

The sun hung low and burned bright as the skies turned blue. Despite having a full meal I was still feeling pretty bugger. My head was reeling from last night's whiskey, and sleeping on my bags left me sore in the sides and back. Cass appeared to be suffering, but not to the same extent I was. I found distraction in admiring her form, but made sure to look the other way before she noticed. Walker was scrutinizing us rather thickly, especially Cass. Finally he was compelled to speak.

"What drives a woman like you to jump in with a couple of strangers, headin' to what could possibly be their untimely deaths, just for some bottlecaps?" She was quick to answer.

"Well, when your caravan burns to the ground and you work up a big tab at the bar you don't have much choice in the matter. Besides there's nothin' left for me there. All that's left are my clothes and my scattergun." We returned to silence, reflecting on her words. Minutes passed and the black smoke was now billowing over a cluster of wooden buildings on the left side of the road. Walker glided the pickup to as stop off the road.

"Ready up everyone." After climbing out of the truck Walker retrieved his rifle and bandolier while Cass pushed a pair of shells into her over-under shotgun. Walker told ED-E to stay put and met Cass and I up the road. We flanked Walker as he led on. From here I could see there was a city hall at the far end of the town. Three of the houses were burning strong, while five more smoldered with weak grey smoke. I noticed Walker scanning for threats, and recalled our previous mission. I was immediately thankful for the morning light. Then a voice yelled out.

"Woho!" Walker brought the rifle to his shoulder and aimed towards the intersection. Jogging around the corner was a man dressed in Power Ganger slacks and vest, flailing his arms in the air in some sort of victory dance. Walker's rifle lowered slightly. "YEAH!" Shouted the man. He halted a few yards in front of us. "Who won the lottery? I DID!" His nostrils gaped open and air hissed in. "Smell that air! Couldn't you just drink it like BOOZE?" He said the last word like it was the best thing he'd ever experienced.

"The fuck…" Muttered Cass under her breath. Walker stepped to the man.

"Hey, what's going on? What lottery?" The Powder Ganger paid no attention to him until he mentioned the lottery. Then he stared at Walker with wide eyes. "What lottery? THE lottery! The only one that matters!" He sniffed again. "WOW that's some fresh air! Catch ya later!" As the man took of past us Walker reached out to grab him, but his hands clenched air "Hey! What the hell's going on?" The crazed man just stumbling out of reach. "Fuck off man! Win your own damn lottery!" and with that he ran into the distance, dancing all about as he went. ED-E made noises I could only assume were of confusion.

"Well wasn't he a cheeky monkey." Cass shot me a stupid look while Walker faced front.

"Who the fuck says that?" She asked bluntly.

"Well I do!" I cried, feeling insulted. She shook her head and we resumed our silence. Right as Walker rounded the corner he froze mid-step. We matched his stance. _What in God's name… _six crucifixes made of telephone poles and railroad ties stood on either side of the street. There was a man hanging from each one. Quiet moans and whimpers drilled into our ears. Decapitated heads were stabbed on pikes. Then a horrendous smell entered my nose. _Oh God that's not… _It sure was. Smack in the middle of the street was a pile of molten tires topped by a power pole. A horribly charred human corpse hung by threads. Walker was trembling, shoulders waving up and down as he controlled his breathing. I looked to Cass. Her mouth hung agape.

We stood like statues in shock until Walker moved towards the closest cross. Cass's mouth sputtered instinctively as she reanimated. My legs felt disconnected yet they clopped forward, independent from my brain. My thoughts were blank as Walker hurried to each cross. Each time he inspected a victim his face become more and more sour. Cass and I followed in a mindless state. Walker stopped at the final cross. Just like the rest railroad spikes were plunged into the wrists, blood running down the hands. "Kill me…"

Walker's head hung low. A flash of red caught my eye. A flag hung from the side of the town hall, flapping slowly in the wind. Gold flashed through waves of maroon. The flag turned to reveal an image.

_A Bull._

"Magnificent, isn't it?" A voice grabbed my attention. Looking down I saw a man standing on the steps of the town hall, flanked by men with hunting rifles. No sound. No movement. Just instantaneous existence. These man worn clothing the likes of which I'd never seen. They all wore some kind of shoulder padding I associated with sports equipment, along with leather skirts and boots. It was all colored in a black and red scheme. While the standard soldiers wore leather helmets and red goggles, the leader wore the hood of a wolf's head and black goggles. A red cape flew defiantly from his shoulders. He stepped towards us.

"Lower your weapons and you need not worry. I won't have you set upon, and lashed to a cross like the rest of these degenerates." His voice made me think of an empty room, void of light or feeling. Walker slowly brought his head up and faced the man, rifle and arm limp at his side. The leader smiled lightly. "Excellent. It's useful you happened by." For reasons unknown my numb brain decided I needed to interrupt a cold-blooded killer to ask a silly question.

"Who are you?" His gaze slowly shifted to me. Our eyes met and I felt the black hole pulling at my soul. "I know who you are." Snarled Walker.

"You do? Well it's nice to see I've made an impression on the profligate. I am Vulpes Inculta, commander of the mighty Caesar's Frumentarii." His alien pronunciation of the word Caesar reminded me of the word Kaiser. "We are those which strike from the shadows, chilling the black hearts of Caesar's enemies, and we are those who teach deadly lessons to all who should stand against the might of Caesar's Legion." He stepped down the stairs. "I want you to whiteness the fate of the town of Nipton. To memorize every detail. To see the horrors that we have inflicted on this den of debased corruption… and then, when you move on? I want you to teach the lessons that Caesar's Legion has taught here."

"WHAT lessons?" Spat Cass. Vulpes immediately burst into a strange, wicked laugh, smooth like the side of a blade as it strokes your skin. "Where to begin? That they are weak, and we are strong? This much is known already. But the depths of their moral sickness, their… dissolution? Nipton serves as the perfect object lesson. Nipton was a wicked place. It served all who came, so long as they paid. Profligate troops, Powder Gangers… men of the Legion…" He twitched a little at the mention of the Legion. "…the people here didn't care. It was a town of whores. For a pittance, the town agreed to lead those it had sheltered into a trap. Only when the trap was sprung did they realize that they were caught in it as well." He was now standing in the sand with his arms crossed. "Everyone was herded into the center of town like the sheep they were. I recounted them for their sins, foremost being disloyalty. I told them when legionnaires are punished, others are made to watch. Then I announced the lottery. Each clutched their ticket, hoping it would set them free. And they all did nothing, even when their 'loved ones' were dragged away to the slaughter."

"You fucking monster." Walker growled. His back deformed with utter hatred. Vulpes took it as praise.

"Why thank you. Whores and cowards. The outnumbered us greatly but they did not resist, only watched as their fellow men were butchered, mayor crucified and burned alive on the pile of tires." His hand pointed to the effigy in the street. "If you feel so inclined by all means, attack me. You will die quickly. No? Then I bid you 'vale." The troops followed Vulpes as he walked left, away from the town hall. "Until the Legion finds you…" Suddenly blue lines of electricity arched around his body, then the colors of his body changed and distorted until he seemed to evaporate into thin air.

_Mass murdering psychopaths with stealth-boys. Great. _

The three of us watched in silence as the troops marched out of town. Cass began to tremble till it sent her stomping forward, gun raised. Walker jogged to catch up. "Cass? CASS!" He grabbed her by the arm with his left hand. Her legs remained in motion. "We just gonna let those fuckers LEAVE?!" Her head shot forward as she spoke. Walker pulled her around and bore his gaze upon her. "You have NO idea how much I want to kill 'em. But this is not the time or place, and you know it." Slowly she relaxed in his hand. Satisfied she wouldn't take off Walker released her from his grasp. He looked to the ground and exhaled loudly. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Slowly we made our way back to the truck, only dead air between us. Once we were a short distance from the pickup ED-E hovered forward expectantly. "Bloody Legion murdered the whole town." I blurted solemnly. ED-E's hover lowered considerably. After entering the cab Cass and I just stared at the dashboard. Suddenly Walker thrashed violently. "FUCK!" His fist slammed into the steering wheel, the force vibrating the whole pickup. Cass and I reared back like a children watching a parent burst with anger. Walker started the truck and immediately turned left and floored it. Sand and gravel shot from the rear tires as the pickup swung around hard and launched down the road.

* * *

><p>Parking in the same position as this morning Walker took off to talk to the ranger about Nipton, while Cass and I waited in the cab of the truck. I picked at the severely rotting leather on the dashboard till I Cass entered my mind once again. "What's your story Cass?" I held my head in my left hand and propped my elbow on my knee, implying she make a long story of it. Her sharp eyes darted for a moment, then she began to speak. "Like I mentioned before, I was in the caravan business till it burned to ash."<p>

"Ash?" I wondered.

"That's what the scout told me."

"What did you transport?" I asked.

"In the beginning it was just bringin' stuff from one town to the other, till I got a gang goin' and then we became whiskey merchants." She giggled a little. "But that didn't last for long, 'cause buy the time we made the delivery, all that was left were empty bottles. So we went to carrying water. "

"Is that how you got your drinking bug?" I asked with a laugh.

"Nah that was goin' before then. My father had a thing fer drinkin' too, probably passed over into my blood."

"Well you're cheeks sure rosey nicely when you're drunk." I flirted. Her smile quickly flattened.

"You comin' on to me mister? 'Cause that ain't gonna work on me, especially comin' from a softie like you." Her finger pointed forward with the authority of the judge's gravel. My gaze left her face and returned to the desiccated paneling. Cass sat back in the bench seat. Movement caught my eye and I saw Walker strolling towards the pickup. In his hand was a leather sack. After entering the truck he poured out about twenty bottlecaps into his duster, gave me a handful, then reached the bag out to Cass. At first she was indifferent to the money, till she looked inside. Then she froze, double checking the amount inside. Her eyes filled with thought. Without warning she bolted out of the pickup.

"Be right back." Her pace quickly put her at the doors of the outpost, then just as soon out the door and back to the truck. "Tab's paid, we can leave now."

"WE?" Questioned Walker.

"Way I see it, you owe me that Vulpes bastard's head for not lettin' me kill him in the first place. And if you can't give me that, then we'll just have to murder half the Legion." She demanded. Walker looked to me. "What do you think Nigel?" my mind was already made up.

"I think she'll make a fine addition to our group!" I said with a cheeky smile. Cass just rolled her eyes and turned forward. "It's settled then. Next stop, Novac." Walker stated as he put the truck in reverse. Cass seemed bothered. "Novac? What in the wasteland are we goin' there for?"

Walker shook his head. "It's a long story." I decided to tell it myself, thinking I could twist the story to my benefit. "Walker was delivering a package when this wanker Benny and his goons ambushed him. But before they could whack him I swooped in and saved his life!" I threw my arms around theatrically.

"You mean you stumbled in on us, then carried me to a town doctor AFTER Benny shot me in the head." Walker quickly corrected. _Damn._

"Uh yeah, thanks for clearin' that up." I said sarcastically. Cass was studying the scar across the right side of his forehead. "Wait a second, are you the courier that got shot in Goodsprings?!"

"Yeah." Walker replied matter-of-factly. Cass sat back like she just talked to a ghost. "How'd you know that?"

"They've been talkin' about it on the radio since yesterday." She replied.

"Well that news sure traveled quick." I thought aloud.


	5. To Arms

**To Arms**

The drive to Novac was uneventful (to nobody's surprise; it wasn't called the wasteland for nothing) so my thoughts boiled inside my head uninterrupted. As we rattled along the broken highway I grew angrier with myself. _Jesus am I TRYING to kill myself?! Ever since I arrived here I've been diving headlong into dangerous situations without even a slingshot in my hands! How am I even alive? Well no more! The next time something happens I'm packing heat! _

Shortly thereafter the shape of a large dinosaur appeared on the left. For a moment I thought with great alarm that it was a live T-rex eating some kind of giant caterpillar, till we drove up the hill towards it. Further inspection revealed it to be a pre-war tourist attraction, holding a long since broken thermometer. Inside its mouth was a man silhouetted in the shade. Turning left at the green dinosaur Walker pulled under the overhang of an old Poseidon Energy gas station. Once the truck was off everyone piled out to stretch their legs.

"ED-E, stay here. Nigel, Cass, I'm headin' to the hotel office, see if I can find anything on Benny. You can join me if you like." Cass's attention was already turned towards a traveling merchant, likely drawn in by the sound of clinking whiskey bottles. Still fuming inside, I just shook my head. "Alright then, meet back here when yer done." Walker twisted around and strolled towards the green-walled hotel. With nothing better to do I headed across the road to the wooden dinosaur. Up a flight of rickety stairs and through a door was the interior of the T-rex, inhabited by a lone man behind a counter full of useless nick-knacks.

_Of all the bloody things to survive an apocalypse… _As I approached the counter the black man wearily recited lines of greeting. "Hi welcome to the Dino Bite gift shop, home to the one and only collectible Dino figurines." Ignoring him I dropped my elbows on the counter with a thud and held my head in my hands. "Course you aren't home to the one and only collectible boomsticks…" I muttered under my breath. I didn't notice it at first, but the man behind the counter had a light go off in his mind, the kind outlaws get when they want to drag a man behind a horse.

"Why don't I take you through my wonderful selection, Mr.?"

"Nigel." I responded flatly.

"Cliff; nice to meet you Nigel. Now to start off we have the Dino Figurine, priced at a reasonable fifteen bottlecaps." I burst out laughing.

"What?! Fifteen caps? Who in their right mind would buy a useless hunk of plastic for fifteen dollars?! Hell, I don't think people would've paid FIVE dollars BEFORE the war!" Cliff's gaze lowered to the counter. "Nobody buys the Dino souvenirs… how about a cap apiece?"

"No." Cliff pulled a gloss red rocket from the display and set it next to the T-rex souvenir.

"How about a unique hand crafted rocket from the REPCONN test facility, home of rocket design and innovation before the Great War?" I picked up the miniature dino and picked at the centuries old paint.

"Hand crafted my arse. Do you have anything, I don't know, people might actually WANT to buy?" White paint chipped off the dino's eye under my fingernail.

"Well… there might be something in the storeroom. Why don't I take a look for you?" Cliff suggested politely. He stepped from the counter and opened the door to his left. Dust billowed through shafts of light born from holes in the walls. The Geiger counter in my Pip-Boy clicked twice. Whilst I scraped the paint of the dino's spines I heard souvenirs spill to the floor, followed by a curse from Cliff. Then Walker stepped through the door, gave me a nod, and made his way up a flight of stairs that could only lead to the dinosaur's mouth.

"Ah Hah!" _Guess he found whatever he was looking for. _Cliff stepped over the recently created pile of rockets and dinos with a silver case about the size of a shoebox in his hands. "I think you will be very interested in this." He set the case on the counter and opened it. I stared inside, hands loosing grip on the mini dino. "What in good God's name is that?"

"That."

"Yeah, what is that?"

"It's That." My face screwed up in a confused and irritated sort of way, and I clawed fiercely at my muttonchops. "THIS," I pointed to the object. "Is THAT?"

"That it is." Replied Cliff with a smile. "You welcome to hold That." I slowly pried 'That' from the black foam holding it in the case. That could only be described as a black revolver with a silver bolt action inset above the cylinder and barrel. What appeared to be the magazine of a sniper rifle was slung under the barrel and mated with the pistol's frame. An ergonomically shaped wooden grip and other bits finished the look of the pistol.

"THAT is a proper name, Cliff." I said with a grin. The more I admired the pistol the more attached I grew. Pressing a button at the end of the faux bolt action lit a green LED above the cylinder and two red ones on the side of the magazine with a quite chime. "That gun's got a motorized crane and cylinder for superfast reloading." Remarked Cliff. Sure enough the cylinder snapped in and out of the frame with lightning speed at the press of a button. I pulled a cartridge from the case. I held it up to Cliff to make sure I wasn't imagining things. "This thing fires 223 bullets?" I asked.

"It sure does." Replied Cliff with a grin.

"Just like my old assault rifle. Well ain't that the bee's knees?" Something in the back of my mind told me a pistol firing a rifle cartridge would kick like a bull, but it was too late. I was hooked. "How much do you want for it?" Cliff scratched the back of his neck.

"Uh… two-fifty?" I laughed again.

"Cliff, let me spell this out for you. One, this is uglier than a bloody centaur." I secretly enjoyed That Gun's unique look. "Two, the thing fires a damn rifle bullet! It probably kicks like your uncle's Brahmin! Three…" I held it in my left hand. "...It's a southpaw." Cliff's smile faded. He knew he had been made. "When was the last time you sold anything in this store?" I asked.

"Couple days ago…" He replied half-heartedly.

"Tell you what. You hand me that case, bullets and all, and I'll part with the thirty caps I can spare." I pulled a plastic bag full of caps from my suit and set it on the counter with a clang. It was all the money I had. Cliff looked to the bag, to the case, then slowly grabbed the bag of caps. I took the case and closed it with a smile. "Pleasure doin' business." And with that I was out the door. At the base of the stairs butterflies bounced in my stomach as I regarded the pistol with delight. _It's practically brand new! _As I got a feel for the weight of the pistol the door of the dinosaur opened again. Walker stepped into the sunlight.

"Hey Nigel. Whoa! Nice little piece you got there!" He put a hand around my shoulder as we walked to the truck. "Looks like you won't be needing me to protect you anymore!" He remarked with a smile. "Can I take a look at it?" I handed him the pistol grip-first. He turned his wrist back and forth, getting a good look at the revolver. "That's one strange pistol. You left handed?" I gave a nod.

"What were you doin' up in the dino's mouth?" I queried. He handed That Gun back to me and replied.

"Talkin' to a guy named Manny. Tell you more when the rest of the gang's in earshot." Up ahead I could see Cass in the passenger seat of the pickup with her boots on the dashboard. ED-E seemed to staring out into the Mojave aimlessly. Cass tipped back a bottle of whiskey as we stood a few feet from the door but I could tell she was nursing it. _Glad I'm not the only one still hurting from last night. _Walker cleared his throat.

"Cass, ED-E, listen up." Cass brought her feet off the dashboard and ED-E hovered in close. "A man with some information wants us to clear out a ghoul problem at the REPCONN facility. I want all hands for this one." ED-E made some questioning beeps. "Yep, that means you too ED-E." The eyebot looked excited to get in on the action. Cass wore a look of confusion. "Are we talkin' feral ghouls or the kind still in their right minds?"

"Pretty sure its feral ghouls they're refferin' to. If we do happen to find a settlement of sane ghouls then we won't attack unless they're hostile." Walker clarified. "Anything else?" There was a moment of silence. "Ready up then." As Cass steeped out of the truck Walker turned back to me. "Nigel I think I've got an extra holster you can use, let me look in my stuff." While Walker sifted through his belongings I searched in my bags for something I had noticed the other day. Probing with my hand I sorted the objects till my fingers recognized a familiar shape.

"Goodie!" What my hand pulled out was a 20 round magazine for an assault rifle (which I had forgotten to sell with said assault rifle). Pushing down on the feed spring I surmised there was about sixteen hollow point rounds inside. "Here Nigel." Walker held out a leather holster to me. As I took it from his hands he put a small weathered pack in my other hand. "Take this too. Cass? Catch." He threw a backpack to her. "If you find something good stuff it." Walker put the backpack with the rifle scabbard on his shoulders. "REPCONN's just up the road. We'll walk from here."

As we walked across train tracks just outside of town I put the holster through my pants. Of course it was right handed but it was better than nothing. I dropped six of the bullets I bought with That Gun into the cylinder and stuck the rest along with the hollow points in the belt. I counted nineteen bullets in the holster. _Fifteen hollow points and ten standard. _I holstered That Gun, realizing I would have to draw with my right hand, then put the pistol in my left.

"Next thing ya know they'll be tellin' stories about Nigel: the fastest hand in the Mojave!" Walker said with a smile. I was feeling pretty good till I saw Cass roll her eyes at his comment. However I didn't have much time to think on it as Walker held up a hand. "Hold up. Movement ahead." He whispered. Up the hill under a billboard was a feral ghoul crouched over the body of a mutated mole rat. Walker held his rifle carefully and shot the ghoul from about seventy-five yards away. Seconds later we were standing over the rotting corpse, entry hole punching through the ghoul's spine.

"Definitely feral." Observed Walker, putting a cartridge directly into the chamber of his rifle. Further up the road we passed under a walkway which arched over the road. A pre-war toll booth sat under the arch on the left side. "What's that?" Cass was looking down the road at something. What we found was a large checkpoint-like structure made of sheet metal and shelving. There was all kinds of ammo and other junk sitting on the shelves. "Jackpot!" yelled Cass.

"Wait a second. This is probably someone's stuff. We'll leave it for now." Said Walker. Cass's shoulders sank.

The road turned to the right and into a bowl further down. Inside the bowl was a four story building, REPCONN spelled across the side. A large rocket pointed to the sky in the road before the building. As we rounded the corner a lone feral ghoul stood out in the open. Walker quickly dispatched it with two shots in the chest. _Well that was easy._

WAAAAH!

A blood curdling wail echoed from ahead. _Oh shit! _I fumbled to draw That Gun, body begging to shake with fear. Walker and Cass raised their guns to the sounds of more screams and bare feet slapping concrete. Suddenly a dozen ghouls were sprinting from every corner of the facility. "Open fire!" Walker yelled. The air filled with deafening noise. ED-E's lasers shot overhead with red light and heat. The combined sound of Walker's rifle and Cass's shotgun thundered through my ears. One by one the ghouls began to fall, some falling as limbs exploded, others while their body parts turned to ash.

But it wasn't enough.

Five ghouls were now in a dead sprint just thirty yards away. I raised That Gun to fire. Suddenly the world was in slow motion. _VATS! Of course!_ I had forgotten all about the feature a man back in Vault City has described as 'Cerebral Overclocking'. This feature allowed the brain to process sensory inputs at almost ten times its normal speed. Of course it could only be done in short bursts or else it would cook the user's brain till they were a vegetable. As the pistol's sights aligned just under the closest ghoul's neck I commanded my finger to pull the trigger.

What felt like an eternity later a wave of energy rippled through my hand. Smoke and fire billowed out the barrel. For a moment I caught sight of the bullet right before it penetrated between the right shoulder and upper chest of the closest ghoul. As it reeled back I aimed and took another shot. This time the bullet entered the base of the neck. Working desperately to kill the ghouls as fast as possible I shot two more in the chest. As they went down a red beam arched over my head very slowly. For a moment it felt like I was holding my head near a fire till the beam traveled past and into the fourth ghoul.

Unfazed, it continued forward till a bust of pellets slammed into it's chest, flesh and blood flying forward as the body fell backward. Then the final ghoul leaped over the falling corpse. Walker was reaching for his pistol. He was beginning to yell my name. The ghoul was only a yard away. It's scream traveled across several octaves as time returned to normal pace. In an instant it would rip my jugular apart like it was tissue paper.

BOOM!

The ghoul's head snapped violently to the left with a spray of blood, and the body slammed the ground just before my feet. My heart thumped wildly as I stared at the corpse, ignoring the gore splattered on my face. Then I looked around to find the source of the shot. I spotted the silhouette of a man crouched at the top of a cliff to the right. The rest of the group followed my gaze as he stood up and worked the bolt on a scoped rifle. Having no clue what to do next, we stood silently as the man approached. He was a man about Walker's height, wearing a dirty tan t-shirt, desert camo pants and high top boots. On his head he wore a red beret and aviators. His face bore a seemingly permanent scowl.

"That was a hell of a shot! I'm sure Nigel here's rather thankful for your help." Walker shoved me with an elbow. "Uh, y-yeah thanks. That was very… good of you to do." I stammered. The man continued to scowl. "Manny told me you were going to REPCONN. Figured you would need some help." He said in monotone. "We really appreciate it. I'm Walker Evans." The two shook hands.

"Boone." He replied flatly.

"Boone this is Nigel, Cass, and ED-E." Everyone gave their own little gesture at the mention of their respective names. Boone stepped to the front of the group. "I'll take point while you reload." And with that we made our way towards the REPCONN building. As we loaded our weapons Walker leaned in close. "Jesus Nigel, where did you learn to shoot so damn fast?" Cass chimed in as well.

"Yeah how the hell'd you do that?! I blink and the next thing I know there's three ghouls fallin' to the ground!" What had been two seconds to them was stretched to twenty with VATS. I tapped my Pip-Boy with a grin.

"THAT my friends, was a textbook example of the awesome power of VATS." They leaned back in awe. After ascending a flight of stairs we stopped at a set of wooden double doors. Boone stopped to look at us. "Ready?" We raised our weapons in confirmation. Boone gave us one final look over, then slowly pushed the left door open. Ragged breathing and darkness greeted us.


End file.
